World Languages Lexicon
10 Language-to-English Dictionariessanguijuela
Pronunciation / Transliteration: saŋɡiˈxwela
"En el río encontré una sanguijuela."
Comprehensive Definitions & Senses
2 senses- 1
An aquatic or terrestrial annelid worm that has a sucker at each end and feeds on the blood of vertebrates.
"While walking through the marsh, she noticed a leech attached to her ankle." - 2
A person who extorts profit from or sponges on others.
"He is nothing more than a social leech who never pays his own way."
Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum
Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology
Derived from Old English 'lǣce', which originally meant physician or healer (referring to the medicinal use of bloodsucking worms), and later merged with the Germanic root for the aquatic worm itself. Over centuries, the semantic scope shifted from a healer to the parasitic organism, and metaphorically to a person who sponges off others.
Which of the following is the closest synonym for "Leech"?
10 Global Lexicons: How "Leech" is said worldwide
Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration
sangsue
Transliteration: sãsy
"Les sangsues sont utilisées en médecine pour stimuler la circulation sanguine."
Blutegel
Transliteration: bluːtˌeːɡl̩
"Der Arzt setzte einen Blutegel zur Behandlung ein."
sanguisuga
Transliteration: sanɡwiˈzuɡa
"Ha tolto la sanguisuga dalla sua gamba."
sanguijuela
Transliteration: saŋɡiˈxwela
"En el río encontré una sanguijuela."
sanguessuga
Transliteration: sɐ̃ɡeˈsuɡɐ
"A sanguessuga alimentou-se do sangue do hospedeiro."
जोंक
Transliteration: jonk
"बरसात के मौसम में पानी में जोंक मिल जाती हैं।"
水蛭
Transliteration: shuǐzhì
"田里有很多水蛭。"
거머리
Transliteration: geomeori
"논에서 일하다가 거머리에 물렸다."
ヒル
Transliteration: hiru
Script: 蛭
"川で遊んでいたらヒルに血を吸われた。"
Related Vocabulary Words to Explore
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